The present invention relates generally to the field of surgical instruments. More specifically, the present invention relates to an improved liposuction apparatus and method for removing excess subcutaneous fat deposits from various areas of the body.
Body fat varies in structure and composition in different regions of the body. Much of the subcutaneous fat in a normal, healthy human is generally arranged to form a thin blanket-like layer. In some areas of the body fat cells exist in large subcutaneous deposits. Adipose tissue consists of fat cells and fibrous tissue. Fat cells store lipids. Any variety of metabolic disorders or dietary habits can cause fat deposits to become excessively enlarged, with undesirable cosmetic and medical sequelae.
Liposuction is an invasive surgical procedure where subcutaneous fat cells are removed by the use of a liposuction cannula attached to a vacuum suction device. The cannula is percutaneously inserted into subcutaneous deposits of fat through very small (4 mm to 10 mm) incisions. As the cannula is carefully advanced, fat cells are dislodged by the force of the applied vacuum and simultaneously suctioned away via a long flexible hose connecting the cannula to the vacuum pump collection bottle.
Anesthesia for liposuction surgery can be accomplished in a number of ways, including general anesthesia, regional spinal anesthesia, local anesthesia with either deep IV sedation or nitrous oxide sedation, as well as simple infiltration local anesthesia without either IV sedation or narcotic analgesia. Liposuction is usually accomplished using general anesthesia. During general anesthesia, the patient's breathing is maintained by means of endotracheal intubation and respiratory ventilation machine. Risks for morbidity and mortality associated with general anesthesia are related to problems of maintaining adequate oxygenation. Local anesthesia is safer than general anesthesia because the patient is awake and breathing naturally without assistance.
Liposuction by local anesthesia requires the subcutaneous infiltration of a local anesthetic agent prior to the insertion of the liposuction cannula. With careful and methodical injection, and subsequent limited diffusion of the anesthetic within the adjacent fatty tissues, large areas of subcutaneous fat can be profoundly anesthetized.
Conventional liposuction techniques which are performed under local anesthesia generally use a syringe and needle for administering the anesthetic, with a separate apparatus then performing the liposuction procedure. The procedure thereby requires that a variety of syringes, needles and surgical instruments be introduced into the sterile field to separately provide anesthesia and perform the liposuction procedure.
In addition, conventional liposuction devices are generally designed for use with full suction produced by the vacuum source. If it is necessary to control the strength of the suction applied during the liposuction procedure, the user must generally either remove the cannula from the patient, thus necessitating its reinsertion which increases localized trauma, or reduce suction at the source of the vacuum. These alternatives increase the risk of infection due to cannula withdrawal and reinsertion, and also require complex or inconvenient remote control of the vacuum source away from the site of the procedure.
The cells and tissue harvested from the patient's body during a liposuction procedure are typically discarded. Conventional liposuction apparatus and techniques do not conveniently provide for the sterile collection and reuse of such material for other purposes, such as performing fat biopsies or repositioning the collected material in other areas of the body. Use of suctioned fat for these purposes necessitates its maintenance in a sterile environment to reduce the chance of contamination and requires that cells be handled in such a way to minimize damage to the cells.
Thus, there remains a need for a vacuum device which enables a simple, sterile process for administering anesthesia and performing liposuction procedures, and controlling the suction through the device. Another object of the invention is to provide a liposuction handle device having the above-mentioned advantages, in addition to the advantage of allowing sterile collection and reinsertion or analysis of harvested cells without undue manipulation or environmental exposure of the collected cells.